First Foreign Climbers Scale, Summit Everest
Two Britons and a Mexican climber made a mark in history to become the first foreigners to scale and summit Mount Everest after two years of disasters.
Accompanied by two Nepalese guides, veteran mountaineers Britons Kenton Cool and Robert Richard Lucas successfully reached the top of Everest, along with Mexican David Liano on Thursday morning.
According to Nepal Mountaineering Association’s president Ang Tshering Sherpa, the climbers reached the 8,848m (29,029ft) summit shortly after 08:00 local time.
Meet the Veteran Climbers
The climbers for this season already made a stellar mark in the history of scaling Everest.
For Kenton Cool, 42, this season’s successful climb on Everest is his 12th time. With this new achievement, Kenton becomes the first Briton to summit Everest 12 times. Also, Kenton is the title holder of the first mountaineer who climbed Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse and Mt Nuptse in a season in 2013.
Veteran Mexican climber David Liano, 36, made this season’s climb as his sixth. Liano made a name in scaling Mount Everest when he had set the record of being the first man to double summit Mount Everest from both the Nepal and Tibet sides.
Disasters Hit Everest in 2014 and 2016
Two disasters have hit the highest peak making it not safe for climbers to scale. In fact, the climbing season was cancelled after two avalanches last year.
In 2014, an avalanche killed 16 Sherpas. And in 2016, an avalanche triggered by a powerful earthquake killed at least 18 climbers at Everest base camp.
Climbing Permits Issued This Year
For this year, the Nepalese government has issued permits to 289 climbers for this spring climbing season which runs from mid-April to the end of May. Mountaineers consider the month of May the best month for climbing.
The climbing officials are expecting around 100 climbers to reach the top in the next few days.
